1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vehicle hood energy absorbing assembly. More specifically, the present invention relates to a vehicle hood energy absorbing assembly that improves the ability of a vehicle hood to absorb a force applied to the exterior surface of the vehicle hood.
2. Background Information
In the automotive industry, efforts are continuously being made to improve vehicle fuel economy. One strategy for improving fuel economy includes reducing vehicle weight. As opposed to simply reducing the overall number of vehicle parts, lighter components having different material properties are also considered. For example, some vehicles are now being manufactured with lighter aluminum hoods instead of steel hoods. However, the energy absorbing characteristics of an aluminum hood are typically less desirable than those of a steel hood having a comparable construction. In one approach, one or more reinforcement brackets are included between the outer and inner panels of an aluminum hood to improve the energy absorbing characteristics of the hood.